If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, you may already be dealing with the pressure associated with your family’s wellbeing. The claims process for an injury can be overwhelming, so it is normal to feel scared and unsure of what to do next. While you may be tempted to accept the insurance company’s initial offer just so you can put the matter behind you, the reality of the situation is that you may be entitled to much larger compensation than the insurance company wishes to let on.

As Pasco County Personal Injury Lawyers, we are more than familiar with the measures some Florida auto insurance companies will stoop to in order to settle claims in their favor. We focus on helping individuals and their families suffering from accidents related to auto collisions, motorcycle and ATV accidents, electrical contact, slip, trip and falls and medical malpractice. We represent regular, hard-working people who have become injured either on the job or as a result of the carelessness of another person or company. Our main goal is to see that you receive the greatest financial security for your family so that you have the peace of mind that your loved ones will be taken care of throughout this difficult time.

No matter how complex the case, the Pasco County Personal Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton have the staff, legal resources and experience to take on your injury matter in New Port Richey, Dade City, Zephyrhills, Land O'Lakes, Hudson, Holiday, Lutz, Trinity and Wesley Chapel.

If your or a family member has suffered from a serious injury, give our Pasco County Personal Injury Lawyers a call today. You can review our practice areas pages here to see the various injury cases we handle. Your consultation is always free, and by contacting us you will speak to one of our personal injury attorneys who will supply you with a detailed legal assessment of the merits of your case. We work on a contingency basis, meaning you will pay no fees unless and until a financial recovery for damages is collected for you.

Navigate our web site and explore our blog to see if the information posted can shed some light on the legal issues you may be dealing with and to learn more about our firm, our attorneys, and why you can trust us with your case. Once you decide that your situation demands personal representation from experienced counsel familiar with the Pasco community, contact us to see how we can help resolve your injury matter.

Thanksgiving is almost here! And if you’re like most Americans, you’re gearing up for a holiday weekend trip to visit family and friends and share a great meal.

The Thanksgiving holiday is one of the busiest travel periods of the year. An estimated 51 million Americans will be traveling to go see family and friends throughout the Thanksgiving weekend. Many will be traveling on planes, trains and cars to get to their destination this year.

People throughout Pasco County will be anxious to arrive to their destinations on time. Whether you choose to take an airplane or drive to your destination, be patient when traveling and expect delays to occur.

Please keep these safety tips in mind over the holiday weekend:

Give Yourself Time – Don’t rush yourself. Make sure to leave early in order to give yourself extra time in case a delay does happen. This is also a great way to avoid holiday traffic and frustration.

Drive Defensively – You will see an influx of drivers on the roadways, so be alert and drive defensively. Stay off your cell phone and give yourself enough room to brake.

Avoid Distractions – We cannot stress this enough. Put your phone away while driving! Your phone can be a distraction when driving, so stow it away so that you arrive to your destination safely.

Never Drink & Drive – If you plan to drink, then make alternate plans for getting home safe! Designate a sober driver, utilize the multiple car services available or use public transportation, you have plenty of options.

If you do find yourself involved in a Thanksgiving auto accident, our Pasco County Auto Accident Lawyers at Whittel & Melton are available 24/7 to assist with your injury claim. As always, seek medical attention first and then call us to see how we can move forward with your personal injury suit. Call us at 727-847-2299 for a free consultation or contact us online.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the man on the go-kart was in the eastbound lane facing east on Central Avenue, west of Warbler Street, when a GMC Sierra pick up being driven by a 64-year-old man crashed into the back of the go-kart.

The go-kart was knocked off the road.

The driver of the go-kart was rushed to Florida Hospital of Zephyrhills where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

The crash remains under investigation.

In neighborhoods and suburban developments, go-karts provide an easy means of transportation. With the increased use of go-karts comes increased opportunity for injuries. In many go-kart accidents, the injuries are serious as these vehicles do not have seat belts or passengers do not use seat belts that may be available. Sadly, horrific and life changing accidents can occur on go-karts. Accident victims are often left with broken bones, neck and back injuries, spinal cord injuries, or even head injuries and concussions, and in the worst cases, death.

A 68-year-old man was killed Saturday night after a semi truck made a U-turn into the path of his car causing him to crash into the back of the semi.

The crash occurred around 10:30 p.m. Saturday at Dale Mabry Highway and County Line Road.

Troopers said the man’s Chevy Blazer was traveling northbound on Dale Mabry Highway when a semi traveling southbound made a U-turn into the path of the Chevy.

The Chevy collided into the back of the trailer towed by the semi, causing the vehicle to get lodged beneath the trailer.

Troopers said the man suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene.

The driver of the semi and his passenger were not injured in the crash.

According to the report, charges are pending.

Making a U-turn is a risky maneuver for any driver/vehicle, but when the vehicle is a large, semi truck they are putting themselves and other vehicles around them in grave danger. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), there are about 11,000 truck crashes each year caused by a commercial truck turning into the path of another vehicle.

Regardless of how careful a driver you are, you do not have control over the way the drivers around you navigate. If you or someone you love is injured or killed in a truck accident that was caused by a truck driver’s carelessness or negligence, you need to speak with a Pasco County Truck Accident Lawyer at Whittel & Melton. We will sit down with you and review your case for no charge.

Our Pasco County Motorcycle Accident Lawyers at Whittel & Melton will thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident and consult with experts to strengthen these claims. We are willing to go to court if necessary to recover the financial compensation that you deserve, instead of settling for an offer that will not come close to meeting your needs.

The crash occurred just after 6:30 a.m. at Otis Allen Road and Old Lakeland Highway.

Troopers believe a vehicle was traveling eastbound on Otis Allen Road and that another vehicle was traveling northbound on Old Lakeland Highway.

The driver of the first vehicle failed to stop at the intersection, despite a posted stop sign, and entered the path of the second vehicle, according to FHP.

The vehicles collided, with the second vehicle overturning. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the first vehicle suffered minor injuries.

Charges are pending, according to police.

One of the most common locations for a Pasco County auto accident is at an intersection. Intersections may have traffic lights, stop signs, yield signs, or no type of traffic device at all. Regardless of the structure, many people fail to heed traffic lights and signs or fail to follow right-of-way laws, as this case shows. This is usually because the at-fault driver is distracted or under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Traffic signals and laws are put in place to make sure every motorist travels safely, however driver negligence and carelessness continues to cause intersection auto accidents in Pasco County.

The crash occurred just after 6:30 a.m. at Otis Allen Road and Old Lakeland Highway.

Troopers believe a vehicle was traveling eastbound on Otis Allen Road and that another vehicle was traveling northbound on Old Lakeland Highway.

The driver of the first vehicle failed to stop at the intersection, despite a posted stop sign, and entered the path of the second vehicle, according to FHP.

The vehicles collided, with the second vehicle overturning. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the first vehicle suffered minor injuries.

Charges are pending, according to police.

One of the most common locations for a Pasco County auto accident is at an intersection. Intersections may have traffic lights, stop signs, yield signs, or no type of traffic device at all. Regardless of the structure, many people fail to heed traffic lights and signs or fail to follow right-of-way laws, as this case shows. This is usually because the at-fault driver is distracted or under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Traffic signals and laws are put in place to make sure every motorist travels safely, however driver negligence and carelessness continues to cause intersection auto accidents in Pasco County.

There is nothing that can compare to the helplessness we feel after a hurricane. We are unable to stop or limit the outcome of these natural disasters, like Hurricane Irma headed our way. While we can all take protective measures to help reduce the amount of damage Irma might cause to our property, there are no guarantees of what could happen.

Hurricanes are totally unpredictable and can cause wind damage, water damage, destroy vehicles and homes, and leave behind massive amounts of other problems to your home or property. You could be facing a whole laundry list of issues that force you to file a claim with your insurance company, only to find that your valid claims are denied or hardly paid for by your insurance company.

An insurance company’s job is to take in as much money as possible and pay out as little as they can. Regardless of what your policy says, insurance adjusters will offer the minimum or make you a “lowball” offer when it comes to covering damage to your property. To remedy this situation, talk to our New Port Richey Hurricane Claims Attorney at Whittel & Melton regarding your options for flood damage.

The man is charged with child neglect for the incident that occurred in a Wesley Chapel Publix parking lot.

Deputies said the children–ages 6, 4, and 1–were locked in the car with the window rolled up for 15 minutes.

Deputies said the children were sweating and warm to the touch. They were not injured.

When deputies made contact with the man, he said he was only going to be in the store for a minute, so he left the kids in the vehicle.

He was arrested and booked into the Pasco County jail.

Every year, accidental deaths occur when children are left inside cars. According to reports, 735 children have died from being left in cars that overheated since 1998. Thus far for 2017, 35 children have died of heatstroke after being left inside vehicles. Last year, 39 children died of heatstroke in hot cars. All of these deaths could have been prevented. Most of these deaths are caused by lack of attention, which means that vehicular heatstroke can be a wrongful death case.

There are three primary circumstances that lead to children being left in hot cars:

The child was forgotten in the car.

The child was playing unattended inside a car without the knowledge of the caregiver.

The child was intentionally left inside the car generally while the adult ran an errand.

The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the July 19 death in Holiday, which could be the 19th worldwide and 13th in the U.S. blamed on the Japanese company’s faulty parts. Authorities in Florida have not yet released the cause of death.

Takata inflators can explode with too much force and blow apart a metal canister, spewing shrapnel. The defective inflators have touched off the largest automotive recall in U.S. history, involving 42 million vehicles and 69 million inflators. More than 100 million have been recalled worldwide. All the deaths but one have occurred in Hondas. Five happened in Malaysia and one in Australia.

Authorities identified the woman as a 34-year-old who was driving a 2002 Honda Accord when a 19-year-old man turned left in front of her in a 1999 Pontiac Firebird. The Accord struck the passenger side of the Firebird, causing the driver’s airbag to inflate. Three other people in her car, including a 4-year-old girl, suffered only minor injuries according to a Highway Patrol press release. The woman’s car was equipped with the original Takata air bag. The woman died of blunt force trauma.

The Accord, like many of the Hondas in which people have died, had been recalled by the automaker, but repairs had not been made. Honda said in a statement that it mailed 21 recall notices to the owners of the Accord, including 10 to the current registered owner. The company also tried “numerous times” to reach the owners by email and telephone.

Honda and investigators from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration inspected the Accord on Thursday and determined that the driver’s inflator ruptured, according to Honda.

There are about 98 million Takata inflators still on the road in the U.S., according to figures provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Takata supplied about 114 million inflators in the U.S., and only about 16 million of them have been replaced. A total of 46 million have been recalled in 34 million vehicles thus far, with more recalls to be phased in through 2020.

Millions of motor vehicles may have been manufactured with Takata airbags that contain a defective inflator and propellant device. If a collision occurs, the airbag could deploy improperly and shoot metal fragments that could injure or kill the driver and passengers, as this case shows.

“The Florida Highway Patrol is committed to making our highways safer, and we plan to do that by bolstering our forces to reduce the number and severity of crashes,” said Colonel Gene Spaulding, Director of the Florida Highway Patrol. “Troopers will take appropriate enforcement action on those drivers who put themselves and others in danger. We want everyone to have a safe traveling experience, and I encourage motorists to do their part by complying with all traffic laws, including making sure everyone in their vehicle is buckled up and drivers are not driving distracted or impaired.”

This effort is in conjunction with Florida’s Arrive Alive campaign, which applies highly visible traffic enforcement within data-driven “hot spots”. The Florida Highway Patrol, Georgia State Patrol, South Carolina Highway Patrol, Alabama State Patrol, and Tennessee Highway Patrol will also be working with local law enforcement partners to enhance education, visibility, and enforcement to help ensure the southeastern United States has the safest roadways possible. Troopers will be especially vigilant regarding seatbelt usage, speeding, impaired driving, and distracted driving violations.

Traffic safety should be a top priority for everyone traveling on Florida’s roadways. Motorists are reminded to:

Obey all speed limits

Every time you get in a vehicle, buckle up! Wearing your seatbelt reduces your risk of being injured or killed in a crash by almost 50 percent.

Do not text and drive. Texting is one of the most dangerous distractions because it requires manual, visual and cognitive ability- the same abilities that are needed to drive safely.

A traumatic car accident can disrupt your life completely – the pain, the stress, the medical bills, and not knowing what could happen to you and your family is enough to drive you crazy. This heavy burden you are hauling is not one you need to bear alone – our Pasco County Auto Accident Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can help. We can take some of that weight off your shoulders so that you can focus on what is important: your recovery.

The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Before you decide, ask us to send you free written information about our qualifications and experience. This web site is designed for general information only. The information presented at this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice or the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.